Man charged in acid bombing pleads not guilty

Staff reports

Updated 10:31 pm, Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A Florida man Monday pleaded not guilty in federal court to placing two bombs in his ex-girlfriend's car in Stamford nearly two years ago.

Frank Mendoza, 51, of Jacksonville, made his first appearance in Hartford federal court, pleading not guilty to four counts of interstate stalking, one count of interstate domestic violence and two counts of using an explosive in the commission of a felony, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney David Fein.

"As alleged, this defendant planted acid-filled explosives intended to cause serious, disfiguring injuries to his victim," Fein said in the release.

According to the indictment returned in late August by a Bridgeport federal grand jury, Mendoza stalked and threatened the woman and others for more than a year and, in December 2010, traveled from Florida to Stamford and placed two acid bottle bombs in the victim's car.

"Today's arrest is a warning to those who commit violent crimes that the FBI's reach is far and wide," FBI Special Agent in Charge Kimberly K. Mertz said in a statement. "The threatening and insidious nature of the crimes with which Mr. Mendoza is charged will not be tolerated and the FBI's pursuit of justice will not be deterred. The day-to-day work of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces and their local, state and federal partners often goes unheralded. This case is a great example of law enforcement working together to bring those charged with violent crimes to justice."

According to the indictment, in 2008, Mendoza began a romantic relationship with a woman in Jacksonville.

After approximately one year, his abusive and threatening behavior caused the woman to attempt to end the relationship, authorities said. Mendoza continued to threaten the woman, calling her repeatedly and leaving numerous threatening voice mails. On one occasion in spring 2010, Mendoza entered the woman's Florida apartment while she was sleeping and covered her in newspaper. She awoke with Mendoza holding a lighter threatening to set her on fire, the indictment says. The woman said that Mendoza left her a message describing how he was going to kill and cut up her dog, the 11-page indictment said.

In September 2010, the woman and a friend told Mendoza that she had to move to Rhode Island for a work-related training program. The woman and her friend then secretly moved to Stamford.

A month later, Mendoza found the woman and threatening behavior continued, as Mendoza made threatening and harassing phone calls to the woman, her friend and a male work colleague, the indictment says.

In early November 2010, Mendoza went to a Stamford restaurant where the woman worked and her apartment complex. On Dec. 8, 2010, he returned to Stamford and put two acid bombs in the woman's car.

At about 11 p.m. that day, the woman saw that the car's interior had been dampened by a liquid. She also saw a soda bottle on the driver's side floor. When she picked the bottle up, it began to smoke and fizz. She then gently placed the bottle down and ran from the car. The bottle then exploded. The woman immediately called police, the indictment said.

Five days later, Mendoza left a message with the woman's friend. In the message he said, "She has become my problem. And guess what? Frank is not going to rest ... Nobody worries about nothing. But with Frank, everybody's got to worry. Because no one knows how Frank is," according to the indictment.

If convicted, Mendoza faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on each charge of interstate stalking and interstate domestic violence.

The charge of using an explosive in the commission of a felony carries a mandatory 10-year consecutive prison term. Mendoza has been detained by federal authorities since his arrest in Jacksonville on Aug. 17.